Insight

What we learnt from the 1922 Committee after Sue Gray's scathing partygate report

Boris Johnson has addressed his backbenchers - the group of MPs who ultimately have his future in their hands - after a difficult day. Credit: Sue Gray Report

After a difficult day, the prime minister addressed his backbenchers - the group of Conservative MPs who ultimately have his future in their hands.

It is their support which keeps him in No 10 and there is no doubt that the mood has somewhat shifted in the last few months.

While at one point it seemed his position might be under threat, there was little mention of that today as he entered the room to address them. 

There was the usual table banging and applause, but the mood was certainly not as buoyant as it has been in the past. 

In a similar tone to the one he took in parliament earlier today Boris Johnson apologised, accepted he had got it wrong and that as the prime minister he was ultimately responsible.

He made a point of mentioning that he had spent part of his day personally walking around Downing Street and apologising to security and cleaning staff after hearing about the way they had been treated. 


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A party source claimed that the worst culprits had already left Downing Street, emphasising that there had been a rejig of the workings inside the building. 

One MP asked whether it was appropriate, after Sue Gray had pointed out that alcohol consumption had been excessive in Downing Street, to ban alcohol completely from the premises - to which the prime minister replied that Britain would not have won the second world war if alcohol had been banned in No. 10 in the 1940s. 

But the idea that all of his backbenchers are happy is far from the truth - Tobias Ellwood in the House of Commons raised his concerns, while Julian Sturdy published a statement saying Boris Johnson needs to resign. 

For now the prime minister is safe - there is little talk of his position being under threat - but with the Privileges committee investigating whether he mislead parliament, the danger he is in is potentially far from over.